दमोह समाज में उठते सवाल : तालाब में गड़बड़ी कहाँ है, गंदी मछली कौन?

Questions Emerging in Damoh Society: Where Is the Trouble in the Pond and Who Is the Dirty Fish?

When everything is going well in a community, there is usually little reason to think too much about it. But when small things repeatedly become a topic of discussion, questions are bound to arise.

Over the past few days, the Damoh Youth Committee and Women’s Committee organised two good and well-attended events. Both programmes saw enthusiastic participation from members of the community. However, one thing did become a topic of discussion: the active presence of the Mahamantri of the Damoh region was not visible at these events.

This would not necessarily be a major issue if it ended there. But when such things are noticed repeatedly, people naturally begin to draw their own conclusions.

Was the Mahamantri simply busy?
Is there a lack of coordination between the committees?
Or is there something else going on?

Those who know the situation within the organisation are in the best position to answer these questions.

There is another point that is also being discussed within the community. People notice whom the Mahamantri congratulates, which programmes he attends, and whose efforts he chooses to appreciate. If people repeatedly feel that some individuals are always closer to him while the programmes and efforts of others receive comparatively less attention, questions are bound to arise.

It may be that there is no personal preference involved. There may be circumstances behind it. But when someone holds an important position, perception also matters, because the community forms its opinion of an office-bearer through his actions and behaviour.

The Mahamantri is not the office-bearer of any one particular group; he represents the entire community. Therefore, the expectation is that whether it is the Youth Committee, the Women’s Committee, or any other community organisation, he should be seen standing equally with everyone.

And this brings to mind an old saying:

“Not all the fish in a pond are bad, but one dirty fish can make the whole pond look bad.”

But here, another question arises: Is it possible that the Damoh community has begun distancing itself from you? Could your absence from these recent events be a sign that the statement made by that young member on that day is beginning to prove true—the statement that “one dirty fish can make the entire pond dirty”?

Perhaps the question now is not merely who that dirty fish is. Has the Damoh community, through its own actions, already begun to answer that question?

Even so, it is not our intention to name anyone or pass a final judgement. What matters is to understand the discussions taking place within the community and reflect on what may be causing them.

The question is simply this: If such discussions are beginning to emerge in the community, what is the reason behind them?

The higher the position in any organisation, the greater the responsibility. That is why it is important to rise above personal relationships and preferences and work towards bringing the entire community together.

Because the community sees everything.

Who stands with whom, whose efforts are encouraged, and whose efforts are left behind these things may never be written down anywhere, but people do remember them.

If the pond is clean, that is certainly a good thing. But if the water keeps getting disturbed again and again, it is worth asking where that disturbance is actually coming from.

— A Young Member of the Damoh Community